Amid the Centre and Delhi Government’s tussle over the latter’s proposed door-step delivery of ration scheme, it turns out, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs wrote 19 times to the Arvind Kejriwal Government since January 23, 2018 and requested four times through video conferencing in 2020 during the Covid pandemic to implement the ‘one-nation, one-ration card (ONORC)’ scheme in the national Capital.

Besides, the Union Home Secretary and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister have also been regularly holding meetings on the issue via video conferencing with all States including Delhi.

Union Food Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday also urged the Delhi Government to not create obstacles for poor migrants in availing PDS grains and implement the ONORC scheme.

Goyal had written to Delhi Government on February 18 too this year but the Delhi Government has not responded, sources said. Union Food Secretary Sudhanshu Pandey had on June 8 written to the Delhi Government requesting it again to resume distribution of ration via e-PoS machines, enabling smooth implementation of ONORC.

A mail trail between the two sides shows the Centre’s insistence on implementing ONORC and e-POS-based ration distribution and the Delhi Government’s insistence on its own door-step delivery scheme.

In its letter dated January 23, 2018 to Delhi government’s Principal Secretary-cum-Commissioner Food and Civil Supplies, the Centre asked it to share details of proposal of door-step delivery of ration.

On February 23, 2018, the Centre wrote to the Delhi government on its decision to put on hold the requirement of Aadhaar for distribution of ration to eligible beneficiaries. To this, the Delhi government shared details via letter March 21, 2018. The Centre responded on the same day saying the food grains are required to be delivered and distributed through ration shops. On June 18, 2018, the Centre again asked the Kejriwal government for resumption of ePoS devices at ration shops but it did not respond, sources added.

On July 17, the then Union Food and Consumer Affairs minister Ram Vilas Paswan wrote to Kejriwal  for use of ePoS for beneficiaries of the National Food Security Act at the earliest. On January 11, 2019, Paswan then wrote to Lieutenant Governor of Delhi for resumption of ePoS.

Manisha Sensarma , economic advisor to the ministry of food and consumer affairs, also wrote to Principal Secretary-cum-Commissioner, Food and Supplies for resumption of ePoS.  Delhi Food and Supplies minister Imran Hussain responded to Paswan on February 2,  but raised the issue of transfer of Commissioner Food and Supplies and sought an inquiry against him.

On June 28, Joint Secretary S Jagnathan wrote a letter to Delhi government on use of ePoS. On December 26, Paswan again reminded the Kejriwal government on the same issue. Responding to Paswan, Delhi government's Food Minister Imran Hussain on March 4, 2020 stated that Commissioner Food and Supplies was directed to roll out the ePoS based door step delivery system in a time bound manner.

Paswan on March 19, again wrote to Kejriwal again requesting him to utilise ePoS infrastructure along with ONORC before March 31, 2020.  Paswan followed it up on May 23. Hussain reiterated on June 17 that he directed the Commissioner to roll out ePoS- based doorstep delivery system.

On October 7, minister of state of consumer affairs Raosaheb Patil Danve wrote to Kejriwal on resumption of ePoS devices with biometric or Aadhaar authentication facilities in all 2200 ration shops for implementation of ONORC. A similar letter was also written to Delhi Chief Secretary by Secretary, Consumer Affairs.